Never Change
by Hearing the woRd
Summary: You know we're going to grow up, right?" Massie, then eight years old, stared into his blue eyes. "Yes," Derrick responded sadly. "Well what should we do then?" Massie bit her lips in fear of the day things would become different. "Never change."
1. Love Thy Neighbor

_Love thy neighbor as thyself._

_**Leviticus **__**19:18**_

"Honey, we have to go," Kendra Block called across the marble floored kitchen with a beautifully decorated fruit basket in hand, "hurry!"

"Mommy," six-year-old Massie Block wondered up behind Kendra and dragged on the hem of her mother's velvet blue empire waist dress.

Kendra whirled around in surprise and laughed at the adorable girl. She kneeled down to join Massie on the ground. "Yes?"

Massie pulled a stubby thumb out of her chubby cheeks—a habit she had not yet out grown—and spoke, "I got a stain on my dwess."

Kendra looked down at the grape jelly that had smeared across the front of Massie's silky floral dress.

"Oh, Massie," She frowned animatedly, as if the purple blotch made her extremely angry, "we don't have time to change. We'll just toss a jacket over that, OK?" Kendra pulled a denim coat off the beige barstool and wrapped it over Massie's small shoulders. "There."

Massie blinked her gleaming amber eyes twice then simply shrugged and wriggled her round arms into the sleeves of her highly fashionable baby jacket. "OK, let's go." She smiled brightly up at her mother and slid her fat fingers into Kendra's smooth, long ones.

"William," Kendra bellowed loudly, her steady voice echoed, "We're leaving, meet us there!"

"Alright honey," A thick, strong voice boomed back from the direction of what seemed like the office, "Bye Massie honey, have fun! I'll be there in a little bit."

Massie's cherry lips formed a V shape as she led her mother out the door. "Bye Daddy!"

As they stepped out of the house, a sweet gust of flowery air welcomed them into Westchester springtime.

"Alright, are you excited to meet our new neighbors?" Kendra watched Massie skip along the concrete sidewalk, which bordered the long rows of cleanly shaven front yards.

Massie's head bobbed enthusiastically, allowing the sun to catch the gloss of her thick curls and illuminate them even more.

"They have a boy your age, you know?"

"Yay!" She yelped, new playmates were always welcome into her large clique of friends.

When they approached a massive estate, equal in size to the Blocks', Kendra paused for a short examination. "So, are we ready?" She asked while scanning her daughter, making sure everything from the rosy hair clip on her head to the tiny pink ballet flats on her feet were nice, and luckily intact. Massie had not exactly proven to be an organized child, and even to date she hadn't managed to loose all her baby habits.

"Yup," She nodded, levitating herself up by the tippy of her toes and quickly dropping down again.

"Good, let's go," Kendra lowered her hand again for Massie to grab, but the vivacious six year old had already raced to the wraparound porch, leaving a shrill squeal to trail behind her.

After a few (dozen) rings to the doorbell, a tall, slim woman answered the door. She smiled down at sweet Massie and quickly welcomed her in.

"I'm sorry, my daughter is very excited to meet all of you," Kendra appeared behind Massie, gripping her in place by her shoulder, "as you can see."

"It's quite alright," The blond woman extended her thin arm out to Kendra, "I'm Laura Harrington, nice to meet you."

"Kendra Block," Massie watched as her mother returned the gesture, they shook and laughed as if securing a newfound womanly bond through the quick entanglement of a pair of matching perfect manicures.

"Please, come in," Laura invited again.

Once Massie and her mother had slipped out of their "outside shoes" and stepped into plush "house slippers", Laura placed a hand on Massie's back and declared, "Derrick has been very excited to meet you as well."

"Who's Dewick?" Massie's innocent eyes wondered the enormous house, decorated with delicate antiques and modernized furniture all wrapped up in a pleasant mix. The Harringtons had surely hired a master interior designer.

"That's my son, sweetie," Laura exchanged another round of giggles with Kendra before she called for him, "Derrick."

Within a few seconds, a small blond boy dashed into the wide main room like a Chicago breeze.

"Hello! I'm Derrick," He announced proudly to no one in particular.

"Hi, I'm Massie," Massie quickly stepped forward and declared loudly, as if trying to prove herself superior. She would have stuck her hand out but she found that an exchange only between…taller people—like her mother and father.

"You're very fast," Massie marveled at the quick yet grand entrance Derrick had performed.

"Thank you," Derrick puffed up his chest and smiled broadly, showing off a straight row of sparkling white teeth. "And you are very…" He seemed to be searching his mind for the right word, "pretty." He grinned proudly, having remembered the adjective his mother had taught him to say to "get the affection of any girl." Whatever that meant.

"Thank you," Massie beamed, "and you're very nice."

* * *

"What are you doing?" Massie Block popped her head out of her large window and glared across the street at the Harrington's front yard.

"Mowing," Derrick grinned up at Massie with a moaning lawn mower trembling wildly in front of him.

"_Why_?" She narrowed her eyes as if mowing the lawn was beyond slave work.

"To keep the lawn clean," Derrick answered blankly, stating the obvious, "we would probably be kicked out of the neighborhood if our grass grew awkwardly." He laughed at the demeaning life of high society.

"I know, but why are you doing it at," Massie quickly ducked her head inside and examined her alarm clock, "six o-five in the morning?"

Derrick only shrugged and quickly stalked across his lawn. "Cause I want to."

Massie stared at him for a while in disbelief. Was his only mission in life to harass her? She didn't exactly remember how, but over the years the two of them seemed to be butting heads more and more. "Well, could you stop?" She finally suggested, with the clear intention of persuading him to do so.

He paused for a moment, and looked up at her. Massie instantly felt self-conscious. Her hair was most likely an unpredictable mess and the bare tank top she had on was probably ten times more see through then she meant for it to be.

"Hello?" She waved her hands around, trying to distract him from the blush quickly creepy cross her cheeks.

"Huh, Mass," Derrick nodded mischievously.

"What?" She questioned him suspiciously with her eyes.

"You're really turning into a woman," He grinned widely as a new shade of scarlet—unknown to human civilization—erupted across Massie's entire body.

"Oh my God, you perv!" Massie wrapped her arm around her chest protectively. She quickly grabbed for the heaviest object she could find in arms length, which was sadly a five-pounded paperweight, and aimed at Derrick's head, but missed miserably.

There was a moment of silence between them as Derrick stared at the boxy object that had landed at least ten feet away from him, next to the broad sidewalk.

Massie watched in confusion as Derrick slowly hunched over, with a hand wrapped around his stomach, and began shivering wildly. The worry she had felt spurring up inside her was quickly washed away by a loud and sudden bust of laughter—and who would have guessed; coming from Derrick. Within a few seconds, his head was completely thrown back and his mouth was wide agape in a downward D shape.

"Almost got me!" He exclaimed pointing at the dumb paperweight lying lamely on the stiff ground, then doubled over again in undying laughter.

"Derrick!" Massie finally yelled, after the humiliation and embarrassment she felt finally hit it's maximum point, "just stop with the mowing!"

"O-o-oh," Derrick held up his hand in a "hold on" gesture as he tried to collect himself. "OK, I'm sorry," He continued grinning, "I'll stop with the lawn mowing."

"Thank you," Massie humphed in a frustrated manner and slammed her window shut before returning to her warm and cozy bed.

Finally. Peace. And. Quiet.

Just as she got settled in her velvet sheets, Massie heard a loud rumbling coming from outside. It wasn't exactly the lawn mower. It sounded a lot more high pitched and screechy.

As she sat up and pressed her back against her bed frame, Massie heard the faintest trail of Derrick's words, "Hope you like Weed wackers, sucka!"

"Jerk!"

* * *

**AN**: Don't worry, Derrick and Massie are friends, don't jump to conclusions.

This is just a spin I put on Lisi Harrison's story "The Clique" (too lazy to underline). It's kind of like a prequel and sequel wrapped up in one. I jump between childhood times and current times, to show how these characters became "who they are."

THIS IS JUST AN IDEA.

I have no intentions on stealing Lisi Harrison's characters. I will mold them, so they may be somewhat different from the book, but I will try not to stray from the originals too much.

Hope you guys like the idea~

_::HTW_

**PS:** comment :)

**PSS:** I tend to misuse commas and have a lot of run on sentences in my paragraphs so if you guys detect any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes PLEASE TELL ME.

Thank you~


	2. When I'm With You

_"When I'm with you I feel like I could die. And that would be all right."_

**—Semi-Charmed Life, Third Blind Eye**

"What's wrong, didn't get enough sleep?"

Massie glared up at the gleeful Derrick through her side bangs.

"Woah, what's with the emo look?" He drew back, over exaggerating the "you got me, my hands are up/ I'm scared" pose demonstrated by criminals on TV shows and movies. "Don't you think that's a little too much eyeliner?"

"Would you leave me alone?" Massie scowled, bowing her head lower then it had already been placed on her palm. She needed every minute of her nine-hour beauty sleep and this morning's noisy dawning had ruined two whole hours.

"Oh wait, that isn't makeup," Derrick leaned in closer, dipping his nose through her glossy bangs, "are those dark circles? From lack of sleep, maybe?"

"Ms. Peterson," Massie shot her hand up in the air.

"OK, I'll stop," Derrick hissed, in fear of getting sent into yet another detention for "demonstrating inappropriate classroom behavior".

"Derrick's being annoying. Again." Yeah right, like she was going to let him have mercy. Boys like Derrick never learned: self-control was just another unobtainable characteristic in their battle against puberty.

Heads from every direction of the room turned towards them; center stage. Many girls giggled at Derrick, eyeing him with flirty lashes while other scattered voices of his friends moaned in complaint, "Really, Derrick? Again?'

Even Ms. Peterson joined in on the sarcastic rambling, "Derrick. _You_ of all students?"

A small collection of laughs rang among the class but quickly faded when Ms. Peterson picked up an Expo marker and drew out Derrick's name in a mass of cursive curls. "I'll be sending you a detention."

A oh-too-usual group of people "ooooh"ed at the occasion as if this was anything special. Massie rolled her eyes and reclined into her seat, smiling in triumph.

* * *

When the bell rang, Massie immediately gathered up her things and flew out of class as quickly as she could.

"Wait up, Block," She sighed almost depressingly as she stalked down her steps. Running from Derrick never worked; it only made him more persistent in his chase.

"Don't you have a detention or something to attend to?" Massie glared at him as the adorable blond strode up next to her.

"No actually. Believe it or not, that is the only class I get in trouble in. I think you're my Jinx."

"Well isn't that too bad," Massie responded, her tone completely indulging in boredom, "Don't worry, I'll be asking Peterson for a new seat tomorrow. Don't know why I didn't think of it sooner."

"No you won't," He scooted in closer as the crowd of people rushing to their friends for lunch thickened in the halls, "Because as much as you'd hate to admit it, you _like _sitting next to me."

Massie stuck a finger in her mouth, pretending to reenacting a scene of vomiting, because such an idea was so repulsive it triggered the need for her to spew out all the disgust she felt for him.

"Please, save that for when you're in the bathroom," He leaned in closer to her, smirking, "It's very unlady like."

"Uh!" Massie scoffed, but couldn't help smiling as she pushed Derrick against a row of lockers.

Their relationship was like PMS on steroids. Most of the time they were friends, laughing and making fun of each other, but in an instant, a joke could go too far and a fight would erupt.

Of course they were linked together in the elite section of the A-list crowd, which meant they usually attended the same social events and parties. Some would call their bantering flirting, but they both denied that ruling with the weak rebuttal of they "hated" each other. Yet that was completely contradicted with the fact that they were seen together more than peanut butter and jelly. Either way, their relationship mostly remained friendly and undefined and no one really dared to question that in fear of the two popular tyrants' wrath.

"So…" A moment of awkwardness dangled between them before Derrick used the common backup conversation starter, "Are you going to Josh's party this weekend?"

"Probably," Massie sighed, blankly admiring her gel nails.

"I can always give you a ride if you want," He offered. Carpooling was a regular ritual that both their parents forced them to practice.

"Yea…" Her voice trailed off as they arrived out at their lunch area. A selective spot in which the beautiful and entertaining spend their lunches gossiping and appearing to have way more fun then anyone else.

Massie wondered into her group of girlfriends while Derrick walked over to join his soccer buddies.

As she stepped into the exclusive circle, without even trying, all attention showered onto Massie.

"Massie!" Dylan Marvil turned to their leader excitedly, "why does it always take you so long to get here?"

"Long walk," Massie answered simply.

"We were just talking about how we should all get together to plan our outfits for Josh's." Alicia Rivera brushed a sleek layer of hair off of her shoulder and smiled brightly at the name "Josh"—the boy whom she had had a crush on for a while now.

"Right," Massie immediately jumped into alpha planning mode, "The party's on Friday night, so tomorrow. We should go shopping right after school then head over to my house at around six to start getting ready."

"Perfect," Claire Lyons always hailed Massie's plans perfection.

"And since it starts at eight, we should leave at eight thirty, sharp."

Kristen Gregory stared at the ground firmly and twirled a strand of strawberry blond hair around her index finger, "I can't go."

Four pairs of eyes turned to stare at her.

"Kristeeeen!" Massie complained loudly, "you need to set some things straight with your parents. Like, maybe, being allowed to have a social life."

"I know," the jockey blond fiddled with her fingers nervously.

A moment of awkwardness drifted over the girls as Massie tried to think of a way to break the silence.

"So, what are we girlies up to?" Derrick popped up between Massie and Dylan, placing his arms on their thin shoulders. For once, Massie was grateful for Derrick's uninvited appearance. "Gossiping about my good looks, I'm sure."

"Dreaming won't get you anywhere," Massie retorted.

Derrick aimed a "very funny" look at Massie and she responded by sticking her tongue out childishly.

"Aw come on Derrick," Kemp Hurley, a perverted friend of Derrick's, led a group of cute soccer boys into their group. "Ditching us for the girls, again?"

Cam Fisher, Claire's long time boyfriend wrapped his arm around Claire while she settled her head into his buff chest.

Josh Hotz stepped in next to Alicia and they shared an exchange of knowing smiles—the clear signal of the beginning of a relationship. Chris Plovert and Kemp took their spots together next to Kristen and Dylan.

Now, of course, everyone on campus were even more jealous of the oh-so exclusive clique in a collective circle with the hottest boys of the school.

Massie watched as Derrick went off on an over exaggerated story about the adventure Josh and he had went on in the park the night before. Her friends laughed at a funny part of the story and she continued to stare at Derrick.

But instead of just looking at him the way the others were she was noticing things she hadn't paid attention to for the past decade. She admired his chiseled jaw and flawless facial structure. His sparking blue eyes, which expressed every emotion known to mankind beautifully. The way he could capture and fascinate a crowd with his words.

When Derrick turned to Massie and met her gaze, his smile grew extra wide and Massie couldn't help but smile back too.


End file.
